[asia-apec 630] Article by Vandana Shiva (2 of 2)

[PAN Asia Pacific]

Adulteration of mustard oil is not new. But adulteration on a genocidal
scale is unprecedented. Domestic traders cannot afford to destroy
themselves through such life threatening adulteration on such a large
scale that the entire mustard oil trade and industry is forced to shut
down through the ban on mustard oil sale.

In fact, the Rajasthan Oil Industries Association has demanded a CBI
inquiry into the cases of adulteration of edible oils and necessary
punitive action against the guilty.

The association claimed that a "conspiracy" was being hatched to
undermine the mustard oil trade and felt that "invisible hands of the
multinationals" were involved in the present controversy singling out
mustard oil.

The Multinationals did gain from the mustard oil tragedy at the cost of
the Indian consumers whose lives were put at risk, and Indian traders,
whose livelihoods have been put at risk.  While announcing the ban on
mustard oil sale, the government announced the free import of oilseeds,
especially soyabean.  This follows the earlier announcement to import 1
million tonnes of soya bean from the U.S. against which there had been
major protests on grounds that the import was not necessary.

The mustard oil tragedy has ensured that India is forced to ban mustard
oil and import soya bean which could be contaminated with genetically
engineered soya.

The U.S. has been unable to sell its genetically engineered soya to
Europe because of consumer rejection and the demand for labelling of
genetically engineered foods.  In the U.S. a wide ranging coalition of
scientists, health professionals, consumers, farmers, religious leaders
filed a law suit demanding mandatory labelling.

Ex-President Jimmy Carter has in fact written an article in the New York
Times that segregation and labelling of genetically engineered foods
will make U.S. exports rot at ports.

It is estimated that over 18 million acres are planted with genetically
engineered Round up Ready Soya beans in 1998. The soya beans are
engineered by Monsanto's Corporation to contain a bacterial gene that
confers tolerance to the herbicide. Round up is also made by Monsanto.
Soya bean has been genetically engineered not to give more yields or
better products.  The sole purpose of Round up Ready Soya is to sell
more chemicals for seeds tailored to these chemicals.

The U.S. is, therefore, desperate to dump its genetically engineered
(g.e.) soya on countries like India. The mustard oil tragedy thus serves
as a perfect "market opening" for U.S. agri-business corporations.  Not
only can they now sell g.e. soya to India, they can make us completely
dependent on soya bean for our edible oil requirements because of the
ban on mustard oil and the consumer fear created through life
threatening levels of adulteration.  If traders cannot sell mustard oil,
they will not buy mustard from farmers and farmers will stop growing
mustard.  This will lead to the extinction of a crop that is central to
our farming system and food culture, a crop whose yellow flowers are the
very symbol of spring or Basant.  Once mustard oil has gone out of
cultivation, even if the ban is lifted on mustard oil, we will be forced
to continue dependence on soya bean for edible oil, or introduce
imported g.e. brassica varieties.

Ironically, Calgene, now owned by Monsanto has patented the Indian
brassica.  Therefore we would be dependent on Monsanto for patented
seeds of soya bean and mustard.

The free imports of soya bean is the main outcome of the mustard oil
tragedy.  Now that import of oilseeds has been put on the OGL list, as a
result of the mustard oil tragedy, there will be large scale dumping of
imported oilseed which will destroy the rest of the domestic edible oil
industry which has not been affected by the mustard oil ban.  In effect,
as a result of free import of oilseeds, a death knell has been sounded
for the entire domestic edible oil industry. Further, while our domestic
industry is being killed, food safety is not ensured. One form of
adulteration is being replaced by another form of adulteration. In terms
of food safety, we are jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Genetic Engineering: A New Visible Form of Food Adulteration

The mustard oil tragedy has opened the way for dumping of genetically
engineered foods, especially soya bean on Indian consumers. Indian
consumers would still be denied the right to safe food since genetic
engineering is a new kind of food adulteration which takes place at the
genetic level and is hence invisible.  Instead of toxic seeds like those
of argemone being added externally, genetic engineering in effect allows
food adulteration to be done internally by introducing genes for toxins
from bacteria, viruses, animals into crops.  Genetic engineering is
adulterating foods with toxins from rats and scorpions.  Bt. crops are
crops with high dose Bt-toxin in it.  The Terminator will produce crops
with lethal toxin.  The new Verminator technology uses genes for toxins
from rats.

Health Hazards Linked to Genetically Engineered Foods

There are major food safety concerns about genetically engineered foods.

In 1988, more than 37 people died and more than 1500 were permanently
disabled due to a toxin present in genetically engineered tryptophan, a
food supplement.

In May 14, 1996 issue of the New England Journal Medicine a study from
the University of Nebraska was reported which showed that genetically
modified soya bean with Brazil nut genes created allergies.

Health professionals are also concerned that the mass consumption of
genetically engineered foods could make treating infections more
difficult because most genetically engineered foods contain antibiotic
resistant genes.

Further, genes from viruses and bacteria introduced into genetically
engineered foods could interact with bacteria and viruses in our bodies
and create super bugs and super viruses.

Since genetically engineered foods use genes from animals and
microorganisms, this can also volate the ethical and religious
principles of groups such as Jews and Muslims who need to avoid foods
with substances from specific animals, or of vegetarians who want to
avoid substances from any animal.  Mixing animal genes in plants is
clearly adulteration from diverse religious perspectives and such
adulteration should be totally banned both for health reasons and
ethical reasons.

Laws for the Prevention of Food Adulteration need to be redefined and
strengthened taking pollution and adulteration  related to genetically
engineered foods into account.

In light of the mustard oil tragedy and the potential dumping of
genetically engineered soya bean through free imports of oil seeds, we
are starting a Pure Food Campaign.  The Pure Food Campaign will build on
Navdanya our Biodiversity Conservation Movement. We will continue to
conserve and  propagate indigenous oil seed crops in all their
diversity. The Pure Food Campaign will promote the consumption of
chemical free, genetically engineering free, unadulterated, pure organic
foods.  The Pure Food Campaign will also work for citizens right to safe
food and will create awareness on hazards of genetic engineering as well
as other forms of adulteration.

Our Demands to the Government of India

1. We support the demand of the Agriculture Minister of Kerala to stop
free imports of oilseeds and remove oilseeds from the OGL list.

2. The government must announce a very high procurement price for
mustard to ensure that farmers grow it, and the present ban does not
have a negative impact on our agriculture.

3. Mustard oil processing and distribution should be carried out with
full safeguards so that the ban can be lifted at the earliest and
consumer confidence in our culturally preferred edible oil options can
be rebuilt.

4. The government should not import genetically engineered soya bean for
edible oil.

5. If India cannot get a guarantee for genetic engineering free
shipments from exporting countries, all imports of oilseeds, especially
soya bean, should be segregated between genetically engineered products
and non-genetically engineered products.  Products derived from genetic
engineering, including oil should carry a label stating that it is made
from genetically engineered crops so that consumers right to know and
right to choose is important since genetically engineered crops often
contain genes from animals and microorganisms, thus violating the
religious beliefs of many Indians.  Forcing such foods on people amounts
to violation of the free exercise of religious and practice of religious
beliefs.  Respect for diverse religious beliefs is central to genuine
secularism.  This requires that labelling of genetically engineered
foods be mandatory.

6. The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act should be supplemented with a
Food Safety Act. The new invisible forms of "food adulteration or
"biological pollution" linked with genetically engineered foods should
be subjected to specific safety tests so consumers can be provided safe
food which is free of hazards linked to genetically engineered since
introducing alien genes in foods through genetic engineering is
equivalent to putting  food additives in food.